October 6, 2011
NC STATE FOOTBALL
PackPride.com
TELECONFERENCE: Tom O’Brien Quotes
What were some of the things that you thought your defense did particularly well and particularly not well against Georgia Tech last weekend?
Well, I think we gave up — when you look at how they were throwing the football and they were averaging over 20 yards a catch, big plays in a passing game, it scared the heck out of us.
We hold them to 4 out of 13 throwing the ball, but all four plays were big plays. I think that was one thing — one pass was something we hadn’t seen before, and we didn’t react. But the other ones we should have hedged two of them. We practiced a lot. The second one of the two, we had one of our guys run into an official and got picked off as he’s trying to go get the guy. That was the discouraging part there.
Even though we held them for 13, the bottom line is they still scored their points. They’re a very explosive team, but we held them to 400 yards. They were averaging 600 yards.
We went into the game thinking if we could possess the ball more than we did and run the ball more, but we just weren’t strong enough with all of our defensive linemen out to hold up against them defensively.
Akula Wolf (BackingthePack.com)
About Those Slow Starts
JP GIGLIO (N&O)
Ailing Pack defense relies on Cole
Cole’s role has expanded as a senior. He moved into the middle – or “mike” – linebacker spot, replacing Nate Irving in the spring.
Defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy usually handles the talking on defense, but Sweezy missed the first four games with a foot injury, leaving Cole to fill the leadership void.It was a new task for the easygoing Cole, but Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien said that Cole has done a good job of making the adjustment.
“He has to get us lined up and get us going in right direction,” O’Brien said. “That has been a task with an ever-changing cast in front of him.”O’Brien said Cole has been a “calming voice” on defense. But Cole almost didn’t make it at linebacker. A running quarterback in high school, he redshirted the 2007 season, learning how to play defense.
“I wasn’t any good at linebacker,” Cole said before the season. “I was always making mistakes.”He learned on the job, playing on the outside in 2009 while Irving missed the entire season recovering from injuries he sustained in a car crash that summer.
Ryan Tice (TheWolfpacker.com)
McKay Frandsen looking to build on positives
NC State fans have obviously been discouraged about the Pack’s 2-3 start to the 2011 campaign. However, in last Saturday’s showdown with Georgia Tech and the Yellow Jackets’ top-ranked offense, the Wolfpack made clear strides, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
It was far from a flawless performance but Tech entered the game with nearly a 70 percent success rate (.680) on third-downs while the Pack defense has struggled to get off the field. However, that was not the case on Saturday as the Red and White limited the visitors to four conversions on 12 third-down attempts. The Pack also held Georgia Tech to about 215 yards less than their average of total offense and helped the offense hold an advantage in time of possession.
“I felt like we came out a little bit flat at first,” junior defensive end McKay Frandsen said about the Pack falling behind 21-0 to open the contest. “I felt like in the second and third quarter, we were all fired up. In the third quarter, I thought in my head, ‘we’re going to win this game.’ The score was 21-14 and we had the momentum, we stopped them on the goal-line and I think the defense made some big strides in the game. We got some enthusiasm going in the game.
“On a couple of series, we stopped them on the goal-line. I think there was seven plays inside the 10-yard line [when the Pack stopped Georgia Tech] on one drive. I think that’s definitely a positive. We just have to build off that and do that consistently, that’s what we’re focused on.”
Matt Carter (TheWolfpacker.com)
D.J. Green keeps developing
The big experiment on defense this fall has been starting former safety D.J. Green, a sophomore, at strongside linebacker. The early results are positive, especially in the last two games. Green had six tackles, including two for a loss, at Cincinnati, and added four tackles, one for a loss, versus Georgia Tech.
“We thought after the first couple of games he was okay, looked like he kind of leveled out, but he’s stepped up the last couple of games,” head coach Tom O’Brien said. “One thing Coach [Jon] Tenuta says is he listens. He tries to do what you coach him to do. That’s probably a statement you think everybody does, but that doesn’t always happen. He’s gotten better the last two weeks.”
Green was an oversized safety at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, but he admits he is an undersized linebacker. He says his weight has been fluctuating this fall.
“It’s tough right now during the season,” Green admitted. “It goes up and down, up and down. I do a lot of running so I don’t feel like eating all of the time. It gets hard.
“It’s a heart thing more than anything. I feel like I got a little heart. It doesn’t matter about my weight.”
Matt Carter (TheWolfpacker.com)
Cameron Fordham grateful for ruling
In August, offensive lineman Cameron Fordham made the choice to leave LSU and transfer to NC State. Fordham had redshirted his true freshman year last fall at LSU, and because the NCAA makes transfers sit out a year before playing, Fordham knew there was a chance he would go two years without playing football games.
“I was definitely prepared to sit out this year and give the defense a good look on scout team,” Fordham said. “I didn’t expect to play this season.”
Fordham, with the help of NCSU’s compliance department, appealed to be eligible to play this fall for the Pack. He watched State play four games from the sidelines, and was approaching game five last Friday, when around 5 p.m., sudden news came.
His appeal was granted. Fordham was eligible to play right away.
“I was shocked,” Fordham admitted. “I first called my dad and told him, and he was excited. It was a real shock, good thing though, a good thing.
“After I found out I went straight to the facility. I was caught off guard. I just really want to appreciate compliance for really giving a good effort on helping to get eligible this season.”
Brett Friedlander (starnewsonline.com)
Wolfpack to honor bowl MVPs (at least, most of them)
Somehow it’s fitting that N.C. State’s football game against Central Michigan on Saturday has been designated as “Bowl Day,†because if this year’s Wolfpack wants to have any prayer of playing in the postseason, it better beat the Chippewas.
The promotion is designed to honor State’s bowl tradition. The trophies from all the school’s postseason victories will be on display on the concourse at Carter-Finley Stadium. There will also be halftime ceremony in which the Wolfpack’s bowl MVPs will be honored.
GoPack.com
Pack to Celebrate Bowl History Saturday
MULTIMEDIA/PODCASTS
GoPack.com
Inside Wolfpack Sports
In today’s episode, Don Shea visits with freshman punter Wil Baumann from Wilmington, N.C
Riddick & Reynolds
R&R Podcast: Episode 21
It’s the 21st Episode of the Riddick & Reynolds podcast, and also the week of my birthday, so like any 21-year-old on their birthday this podcast stumbled and bumbled its way through a drunken haze.
Well, that’s not entirely true…the first segment with Chuck Amato was solid as always, but somewhere between segments 1 and 2, I consumed way too much beer on an empty stomach.
But like a true athlete, I powered through and though my slurred speech slowed me down a bit in the final segment, my designated podcasters Derek and Austin kept the ship afloat and we persevered.
Riddick & Reynolds
R&R Podcast: Bonus Episode W/ CBS’s Will Brinson
In addition to the standard segments we recorded Monday night, I was also able to convince CBS’s Will Brinson, Senior NFL Blogger and avid State fan, to join me and Derek Medlin via Skype to discuss the Rodney Purvis commitment, Cam Newton and the Panthers, and Russell Wilson’s odds at winning the Heisman.
NC STATE BASKETBALL
Josh Paunil (RushtheCourt.com)
Who’s Got Next? Purvis Picks Pack; Stars Talk Midnight Madness, Visits
Things Looking Good For N.C. State Head Coach Mark Gottfried. Class of 2012 shooting guard Rodney Purvis committed to North Carolina State Friday giving the Wolfpack one of the best guard combinations in any recruiting class thus far between him and point guard Tyler Lewis (to see why Purvis committed check out the “What They’re Saying†section). Purvis ended one of the more interesting recruitments in the class after he committed to Louisville last December, de-committed from the Cardinals in May, made it look like it was a three-horse race between Duke, N.C. State and Missouri, and expanded his list to eight schools that included North Carolina Central and Virginia Commonwealth. His commitment comes just a month after Class of 2012 shooting guard Torian Graham de-committed from the Wolfpack and after Lewis predicted Purvis would be N.C. State’s next commit. This year’s senior class is looking like it could shape into a top ten recruiting class for N.C. State head coach Mark Gottfried. Although Graham de-committed, the Wolfpack made small forward T.J. Warren‘s final four list of schools along with Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Gottfried also still has a shot at small forward Devonta Pollard and power forward Amile Jefferson among many others in the Class of 2012.
TheWolfpacker.com
Wolfpack debuts in team rankings at No. 6
WILSON WATCH
JP GIGLIO (N&O)
Wilson primed for Heisman
In the span of five months, Russell Wilson has gone from a quarterback without a team to a top Heisman Trophy candidate.
Wilson, the former N.C. State quarterback, has become one of the stories of the college football season with his outstanding start for No. 4 Wisconsin. He not only has the on-field credentials to win the Heisman, but two other essential elements for any candidate: exposure and opportunity.You have to have the numbers to compete for the Heisman, but you can’t win it without exposure and opportunity.
With a breakout performance (255 yards passing, two passing touchdowns and one rushing in a 48-17 win) against Nebraska last Saturday, Wilson has the Heisman trifecta lined up.
After the clinic he put on against the Cornhuskers on ABC’s national primetime broadcast, he was on the ESPN “GameDay” set with Chris Fowler. The next day he did an interview with nationally-syndicated radio host Dan Patrick and on Tuesday he made an extended appearance on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption.
He also has a clever, Wisconsin-run Twitter campaign going for him (with the hashtag, “RussellManiaXVI”).
Instant celebrity
The national media, which had largely ignored him despite his production at N.C. State, has eagerly devoured his unique story (the public split with Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien, the dalliance in minor-league baseball, the Cam-Newton-like instant success at a major school, etc.). Both ESPN and Sports Illustrated have Wilson ranked second on their Heisman watch lists, behind Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who entered the season as the favorite and has done nothing to erode that status.
Tim Hall (WRALSportsfan.com)
Herbstreit says Wilson-N.C. State storyline is fair but not accurate
“It’s so easy to see N.C. State’s 2-3 and look at Wisconsin they’re 5-0 and ranked in the Top 4 so what in the heck are those bozos over there thinking? There’s so much more to it than that,” Herbstreit said.
Herbstreit admitted he didn’t fully understand the story until he got to sit down one-on-one with Wilson to discuss it. He wondered if there had been an attitude problem or a falling out with O’Brien. Then Wilson explained the situation with his minor league baseball contract, Mike Glennon, and how O’Brien wished him nothing but the best.
“He did not want to say anything at all to me bad about N.C. State or about Tom O’Brien at all. He was first class all the way in everything he had to say.”
WRALSportsfan.com (audio)
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit on 99.9FM The Fan
UNC FALLOUT
WRALSportsfan.com
Davis not on list to attend NCAA hearing
Former head football coach Butch Davis is not expected to represent the University of North Carolina Oct. 28 when school leaders hear from the NCAA on allegations against Davis’ team.
Five university representatives are expected to attend the Committee on Infractions hearing, where UNC will make its case to the NCAA.
Ken Tysiac (N&O)
Davis says firing a ‘total surprise’ in first on-camera comments since termination
Former North Carolina football coach Butch Davis said during an ESPNU interview Tuesday that his firing in July was “a total surprise.”
Davis appeared as a guest college football analyst on “The Experts,” and told host Anish Shroff he had no idea he was going to get fired by Chancellor Holden Thorp.“We’d gone through spring practice, through recruiting, all the summer time preparations for this season, and ultimately the decision totally rested with the chancellor,” Davis said. “It’s within his right, and I certainly respect his authority to be able to make that decision, but obviously I totally disagree with the decision.”
Doc (Tarheelfanblog.com)
Your Obligatory Tire Fire Update
** The list of university officials who will appear at the NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing on October 28 has been released, and to the shock of no one, Butch Davis will not be among those attending. This is not surprising as A) Davis is not named in the NOA; B) therefore there is nothing to be gained by him talking to the NCAA; and C) UNC wants to show some space between itself and Davis anyway.
** The NCAA probe has cost UNC over $300,000 in outside legal fees, plus untold man hours internally compiling responses to the NCAA and to the numerous public records requests. This figure does not include the proposed $50,000 fine that UNC self-imposed as a penalty to the NCAA.
** Inside Carolina received from former Board of Trustees chairman Bob Winston a copy of a letter he sent to Eddy Landreth in response to Landreth’s moonbat ravings about a conspiracy involving new BOT chair Wade Hargrove and a sinister plot to fire Butch Davis. Winston defends Hargrove as a man of integrity and says the BOT was well aware of the fact he was an attorney who had represented media organizations. Even though Landreth had already been discredited in that ridiculous theory, the fact that Winston, probably the biggest Butch-backer of all, essentially told Landreth to buzz off is telling.
